Echoes
by burgundyburning
Summary: (Roswell/Charmed) Tragedy once again strikes the DeLuca household, leading to a very interesting story of Maria's family history. [The long awaited sequel to 'Idylls of the King']
1. Still

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Title: Echoes 

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Author: Fyre Goddess

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Email: burgundyburning@yahoo.com

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Category: Crossover, but M/M is the main couple.

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Author's Notes: If you haven't read Idylls of the King, this story won't make too much sense. Otherwise, journey forth and enjoy.

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Spoilers: Post Destiny. 

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Rating: PG-13 (whatever. Ratings are just some stupid socialists idea of keeping kids out of cool movies. I WILL NOT CONFORM!!!!!)

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Summary: (Roswell/Charmed) Tragedy once again strikes the DeLuca household, leading to a very interesting story of Maria's family history. 

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Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell or Charmed. Since I'm not making a damn cent off of this nobody can really sue. Ah ha ha ha!

* * * * *

Michael had woken up early that morning. Senior year was almost over and the class trip began today. Spring Break would officially begin on Monday but the seniors saw no point in wasting the weekend when they could be on a beach in Mexico.

Rolling off the bed, he stumbled his way to the adjoining bathroom. He and Maria had moved into the master bedroom right after Taja came to live with them. At first, Maria had been uncomfortable sleeping in her mother's room. Michael took it upon himself to make the room theirs. He took Maria shopping, a true act of love. They bought a new bed, furniture, drapes, and bathroom accessories. The finished result was excellent. Liz commented that the room looked older now, reflecting the change in Maria's personality.

Picking up his razor, he lathered his face generously. Staring into the mirror, he thought back through the last three months. Of underground tunnels and love through impossible odds.

After Max and the gang arrived, they had spent several continuous, mind-numbing days listening to their 'fearless leader' voice his doubts and concerns, at the top of his lungs, about Taja. It wasn't until Kytanna appeared to Max and Isabel later that night that they actually believed what was told to them. Isabel was suspicious of Taja right from the start. Maria recognized this tactic of Isabel's to be a suit of armor guarding her jealousy and insecurities dealing with anyone who comes close to taking another piece of her brother's heart away from her. She and Liz both had experienced it first hand in the beginning when Max had first revealed their well kept secret. 

Liz and Alex took the news far better. Never having trusted Tess completed anyway, the complete role change was almost welcome.

The day they had first met Taja, Liz had clung to Max, willing him to make the right decision regarding the situation. In the end, though, everything went as planned. Michael returned to Roswell, New Mexico with a soul mate, a sister, a spirit guide, and a whole community of friends. 

The people of the Tunnel community had embraced the group of wayward aliens with the same fever that they had Vincent. Mary and Catherine worked with Father to celebrate the Taja's return to her family. A production not too unlike Winterfest was organized. William labored deep in the kitchen for days to prepare all of the food, Rebecca and Mary threw themselves into the making of dozens of candles, and the children spent every waking minute of their free time dusting, moping and renovation the Great Hall. 

When all the preparations were complete and the friends arrived, the Tunnel dwellers showed the Royal Four just how much they liked to see happy endings. In the midst of the festivities, a new fairy tale was being woven as Vincent and Catherine's engagement was announced. Cheers went up through the crowd and the party lasted into the wee hours of the morning. 

The next morning Father was more than slightly cautious when Vincent informed him that Taja planned to head home with her new family. The policy for people leaving the community was not very specific for Father had always encouraged people to stay unless they were furthering their education. In the end, while he was not especially pleased, sent his blessing along with Kipper to the gate to see them out, ensuring them a welcoming home had they any need of sanctuary. 


	2. Adjusting

chapter two-adjusting

"Michael, where the hell are the pop tarts?" Maria's voice pierced his reverie. 

"What on earth are you doing?" Maria exclaimed in disbelief. She had walked into the bedroom after toiling around in the kitchen, searching in vain for the pop tarts, only to find Michael standing buck naked on the bed, surveying the room.

"I'm trying something out." He glanced in her direction, giving her a rye smile.

She giggled then clammered onto the bed herself. Michael noticed that Maria still wore his Metallica shirt that she had pulled on this morning after dragging herself out of bed. 

"What are you trying out, exactally?" She was barely containing her laughter now. 

He turned to her, a serious look on his face. "I could feel where you were in the house. Somehow, I just knew. When I woke up, and you were still asleep, I felt your peace. I remember being in your dream, sharing it with you. You were dreaming about Mexico and the trip. We were on the beach, just the two of us, making love in the sand at sunset. I was there, not like when Isabel dreamwalks and you're just watching, not noticed. I was the Michael that you were touching on the beach." There was a far away look in his eyes as if he was still lost in the illusion. 

"Are you saying that you can, like, tell what's going on in my mind wherever you or I am?" 

"Kind of. It's more like I can sense where you are, what you're feeling, what you're thinking. All the time."

"So our minds are linked. Wow! I'll bet it's a side effect if our bonding."

"Can you feel me?" Michael looked deep into her eyes, down into her heart.

"In here I can." She lay her hand over her heart, between her breasts. "I can feel your essence, your joy, your confusion, your doubts, your love. When I search for them, I hear your thoughts. It's comforting, for you to always be with me."

He placed his hand over hers and together they closed their eyes. Reality shifted, and together the couple emerged in their dreamscape a land locked away in their bond, an escape from the outside world, their sanctuary.

"Maria…"

"Michael, Maria, hurry up! We're gonna be late if you two don't put your libido on hold until after school!" Taja's shout was heard directly behind their door.

"Damn you, Taja. You are truly the devil's spawn."

"Hey! Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, hate me because your boyfriend thinks so."

"That's some Alabama shit, Taja. Now go make us some food, woman." 

"Yeah, maybe you know where the Poptarts are." Maria laughed as she spoke to the girl who had become as close to a sister as Liz was to her.

"Uhhhh…" The guilt was evident in her voice.

"God, try to sound a little less obvious, huh?" 

"Okay, okay, but quit your bitching and hurry the hell up."

"Now it's time for you to put some clothes on, Michael."

"Awwww, but why?"


	3. Preparations

They pulled into the student parking lot at five 'til eight and ran to their first period classes. Taja bolted into Physics class and took the vacant seat next to Liz just as the bell rang.

"You cut it closer and closer every day. One of these days all three of you are gonna end up expelled for too many tardies," Liz said wryly.

"Hey, it's not all my fault," Taja smiled. "I'm not the one who lounges in bed all morning praying that it's not really a new day."

"Yeah, Michael and Maria both do that. The reason she got her mom's car back during freshman year was because she could never make the bus on time." 

"Michael told me he never used to come to school on time unless he got rides from Max or Isabel until he fell for Maria." She shifted in her rock-hard school desk. "Most of the time he didn't even come to school."

Liz followed suit, trying to find a way that her butt wouldn't go numb for the next hour. "You got that right. In tenth grade, I had an English class with him and I didn't even know it until he came in the day before Christmas Break. The teacher nearly fell out of his desk in shock."

Groaning could be heard from the front of the classroom as Mr. Madoc lifted his girth out of his own government-owned desk. "Today, we will be studying the composition of electrons within specific elements. I know this is a review from Chemistry but hey, today's the Friday before Spring Break and I figured I'd give up something easy. I'll take all 'thank you' letters up at my desk." 

"Woohoo!" Taja sat up immediately. "Now I get to fake my way through another subject I didn't take." 

"What have you been doing to get through this year if you haven't taken Biology or Chemistry? You've got an 'A,' which is really hard to get senior year anyway." Liz was shocked. It almost made life too easy. 

Taja grinned in a way Liz had only seen Michael use before he did something devious. "Kytanna taught me to scan. All I have to do is study something for a while and I've got it memorized." 

"Wow, that's really cool!" _Aliens suck!_

"Yeah, so how do you do electron configuration?" She slid closer to glance at Liz's paper.

* * * * * 

On the other side of the school, Maria, Michael, Max, and Isabel took their seats in their AP Literature class. Ms. Lombard was being particularly difficult this year as she was pregnant and experiencing mood swings. Already today, she had some obnoxious kid sent to in-house for tapping his pen against his desk persistently. 

Isabel ran her fingers through her thick blond hair, almost pulling out strands in frustration. "You'd think she'd just go ahead and have her baby already. What, isn't she passed her due date?"

"By two weeks," Maria mumbled from the bottom of the pile of arms she had her head buried in. "I thought they'd induce labor by then?" 

"That's what I'd think," the blond replied.

Maria glanced at Michael and laughed. "Are we making you uncomfortable with all the baby talk?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Not really. You should look at Max, though. I think he got like three shades paler at the thought of forcing Ms. Lombard to have her baby."

"Hey, I can't help it! The thought of giving some poor woman drugs just to force a person out of her just seems kind of inhumane." Max sat up, red in the face.

"Don't you mean barbaric?" Isabel giggled

"Shut up!" Max blushed even redder than he already was. 

Maria burst out laughing. "I take it you've heard this speech before."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Only like three times." 

"When the hell would you have heard a speech like that?" Michael woke up fully to hear the tale.

Isabel started, laughter never leaving her voice. "Our aunt was pregnant two years ago and she was almost two months overdue. They finally induced labor and Max freaked out. He stormed around the house for a week informing everyone involved how barbaric it was. He'd even pulled research off the internet about the drugs used and the side effects."

Max smacked the back of her arm. "You know, no matter how much you make fun of me, I'll still know the truth."

"Whatever, guy." Isabel smacked the back of his neck playfully.

Maria's head finally popped up. "Hey, before this turns into a full fledged sibling thingy, I'm gonna need Van Henry's homework."

"Michael began to rub the back of her neck with care. "Yeah, ditto on that."

Max was rubbing the back of his neck as well. "Don't you guys do anything when you get home?"

"We do stuff…" Michael kissed the area he had been caressing.

The sister he shared with Max pressed her fingers over her eyes and moaned. "You know, if it's all the same to you, I would prefer not to know all of the sexual shit that you do at home."

Michael scowled. "That's not even what I was talking about, you pervert. Besides, I'm not just gonna brag to you people about what goes on between Maria and I. It's private and special and only ours."

"Aww, Michael." Maria ran her hand down Michael's cheek. 

"Wow, that was really sweet." Isabel sighed.

Ms. Lombard cleared her throat in agitation. "Evans, Guerin, DeLuca. Why aren't you doing your assignment? I could have sworn that I wrote it on the board. Don't you see it?"

"Yes, ma'am"

"We'll get started right away."

* * * * *

Far away from the scrambling teens, a group of sisters were gathered around a book, speaking to a shimmering apparition. 

"You will have to tell her eventually. She can't be kept out of this any longer."

"But Grams, she's only eighteen. She doesn't need to be dragged into this. Especially not now, with the Source still actively pursuing us."

"Yeah Grams, she's still an innocent. When she learns about us, there won't be any going back."

"I would want to know." The newest addition to the family spoke readily. Both of her sisters looked at her with amused "I-told-you-so" expressions. 

The eldest spoke. "What about all that fuss you put up when you realized you were our sister witch? I could have sworn you wanted to stay the hell away from you and turn back time, if possible."

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "That was different. Besides, looking back, I can now say that I'm the better for it. We should tell her."

"Piper?" 

"All right. Let's go to New Mexico."


	4. Family Secrets

They all sat on a couch in the back room of the Crashdown, reading various versions of schoolbooks and sharing homework. A muffled ringing made itself known from the depths of Maria's purse and she scrambled towards it. 

__

"Hello, oh hey!"

"Yeah, yeah, that would be cool."

"Uh-huh! So when are you getting in?"

"Wow, that's pretty freaking early."

"Yeah, my house is good."

"Okay. I love you. Bye."

Liz had been looking at her curiously, "Who was that?"

"It's my aunts, from San Francisco. They're coming to say with me for a while. They'll be in tomorrow morning!" Maria couldn't contain her smile.

"That's great," Alex said. "You haven't had any family here since I can remember."

"Think never, Alex." Liz chided. 

"Well anyway," Maria continued. "They're coming and they just told me they'll be here for a couple of days at the most."

Michael turned grave. "That's not going to fuck up our sleeping arrangements, is it?"

"I don't think I could sleep without you. Besides, I'm not ashamed. I love you." She grasped his hand. 

"I love you, too." He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across her fingers. 

"Did they say when they were coming?" Max asked.

"Tomorrow morning. I have to pick them up from the airport at nine." 

"It will be good to see them, won't it?" Taja guessed.

"Yeah, it will." 

Taja stretched out a hand, which Maria grasped in support. Their connection was a strong one, stemming from their mutual love of Michael and constantly living together.

* * * * * 

FLIGHT 279 FROM SAN FRANCISCO IS NOW ARRIVING AT GATE 12. REPEAT. FLIGHT 279 FROM SAN FRANCISCO IS NOW ARRIVING AT GATE 12.

Maria began jumping up and down. "They're here! They're here! Oh God, how do I look?" 

Michael turned his bouncing girlfriend around and held her face in his hands. "You're perfect, you're beautiful, and they love you, so it doesn't matter." He kissed her nose with the last word.

"You're right. Of course you're right." Maria smiled. "Thank you, Michael."

Michael reached out a hand to her shoulder to pause her frantic movements and handed her the vial of Cyprus Oil he kept for her. She drew in a breath deeply like a crack addict taking a long-needed hit. Capping the bottle, she sighed and handed it back to Michael.

"Maria!" Phoebe's voice could be heard behind her. 

"Phoebe! Piper! Ahhh!" Maria took off.

"Oh, shit." Michael backed away from the tornado of arms and emotions.

In a flurry of arms and legs, the three women ran to each other, colliding in a hug. Another dark-haired female exited the plane next to two tall men, all three of who moved towards the huddle.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" Maria was still wrapped in the arms of her aunts, Phoebe and Piper. "I haven't looked at you since I was fourteen."

Piper began to stroke her hair. "Four years ago. So much has changed in four years." She looked down at her niece in wonder. "You're eighteen now, aren't you?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"So grown up. There's so much to tell you. Let's go to your home, Maria."

"Okay."

Phoebe spoke, "Don't worry, we'll introduce everyone there, it's just gonna take some time."

* * * * * 

Back at the DeLuca residence, Michael went of immediately to get drinks for the crowd as Maria hustled them to the living room. After everyone was seated, they began to talk.

Maria plopped down on the couch, "Alright, introductions, please."

Piper smiled and started. "Well, this handsome blond next to me is my husband, Leo."

Maria's eyebrows rose. "When did you get married."

"About a year ago." Leo took Piper's hand.

"The dark, broody-looking guy is my boyfriend, Cole Turner." Phoebe offered.

"Hi." 

"Well, if we're introducing guys, the longhaired rebel-without-a-cause over there is Michael Guerin, my sou…my…" Maria trailed off.

"I'm her boyfriend." He came to stand behind the couch where Maria was sitting.

Maria turned to Paige. "So who are you?"

"I'm Paige."

Phoebe broke in, "Paige is our half-sister."

"From your mom?" Maria asked.

"Yeah." Piper answered. "After Mom and Dad got their divorce, Mom was…involved…with another man." 

Paige continued. "I was adopted, but I recently found out the Halliwell's are my sisters."

"That's great." Maria turned to Piper again. "So where's Prue? Did she have to stay behind?"

Piper's tone was sorrowful as she spoke. "That's part of the reason we came to see you."

"What's wrong?" Maria sensed something.

Phoebe spoke with tears in voice, "Prue died…this summer."

"Oh, God. Oh, man, I am so sorry. How did it happen?"

"There was a break-in." Leo spoke in a voice full of sorrow as well.

"That is so terrible. Did they catch him? The man who did this?"

Piper was solemn. "We got him."

"Well, that's something."

Michael circled around the couch to his beloved and knelt before her, gathering her close. She leaned against his shoulder for a moment, then dragged him onto the couch next to her.

Leo watched the two of them with a knowing eye. Something was different with the couple, something off. Somehow, he didn't think they would be that surprised by what they had to say.

"Maria, there's something else we need to talk to you about." Piper glanced at Michael, then to Leo and her sisters.

Maria caught the look. "Whatever you have to say, you say in front of Michael. I'd tell him anyway. We can't, don't keep secrets from one another."

Phoebe shook her head. "I don't know is this is the type of thing you share with a lot of people."

Michael looked up. "Believe me, I know all about secrets."

Cole stepped up to Michael. "Not secrets like these," he said in a cold tone. 

"You'd be surprised." Michael's tone was hard and equally cold.

"Okay!" Piper snapped. "Cole, we don't need any of this right now!"

"Piper." Leo's voice broke the tension and motivated Piper to begin.

"We live a life in San Francisco that is very different form the life that most people live. It's dangerous and time-consuming, and leaves you little energy for anything else. It's because of our family history. Something our mother passed to us, that she received from her mother, and so on. She was a witch." Piper paused. "We're all witches."

"Witches," Maria repeated blankly.

"It's passed down through the female blood so you're not a witch, nor was your mother." Piper reassured her. "But you are in danger. Your connection to us makes dark forces notice you." 

Leo continued, "Before, they wouldn't have spared you a backward glance, but since Prue was killed…"

"I thought you said it was a break-in?" Maria interrupted.

Phoebe smiled sadly. "It's complicated. We're the Charmed Ones. It's a prophecy that one day, three sister witches would be born who would fight evil together. Our spells are more powerful when we have the 'Power of Three' and we are the most powerful witched on Earth." 

"Because of this," Piper took up, "the Source is constantly trying to destroy the Power of Three. They sent someone to kill me with a deadly virus. Prue traveled back in time to save me and they killed her instead." She grasped her husband's hand for strength and continued. "When Prue died, we thought that we had lost the Power of Three forever. Then Grams and Mom told us about Paige."

Phoebe took over for her elder sister once again. "After Mom and Dad divorced, Mom went to go live on a lake. She fell in love with her Whitelighter and they had a child. Because the child was from a forbidden love, they gave her up for adoption."

"What's a Whitelighter?" Michael asked, interrupting the story.

Leo turned to Michael as if he hadn't remembered he was still there. "Every witch has a Whitelighter who acts like a guide and healer for their witch. Relationships between Whitelighters and their witches simply aren't allowed. They say that the emotional involvement doesn't allow either party to be objective enough to protect themselves or innocents." Leo looked into Piper's eyes as he spoke again. "Piper and I went through hell to get married. We were even encouraged not to see each other for fear of banishment from our callings and each other."

"You're a Whitelighter." Michael concluded with a nod.

"I'm the Whitelighter assigned to the Charmed Ones." 

"So what powers do you have?" Michael was so curious, but then realized the moment would have to wait. "Sorry, I just want to know all that you can do. We can talk later." 

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "So anyway. The Source saw how Paige replaced Prue as a Charmed One and they're all freaked out that any female of our line may now take up ranks with us. We're afraid that even though you aren't blood, we could somehow arrange for you to succeed. They may come after you, which is why we came."

Maria sighed. "So my life is in danger." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Cole answered. "And they'll hunt you, no matter where you try to hide, 'til you're dead or bleeding before them." 

"They've been after Cole since he killed the Triad…" Phoebe trailed off.

"We have to tell Max." Michael insisted, looking at Maria with fear for her in his eyes.

"No! You can't tell people!" Piper looked wildly around. "Don't you understand? Not only do you put them in danger but you run the risk of press and exposure!"

Maria tried to soothe her aunt. "We can deal with all of those things. We've protected ourselves for three years now and Michael, Isabel and Max all their lives. We have secrets of our own."

Piper turned to Maria, angry and trying to get her to understand. "Normal, everyday secrets don't put your life in danger. The Source, they don't stop when you need a vacation or get sick. They take advantage of your weaknesses. The more people you tell, the more weaknesses you have." 

"Piper, what's the Source? And who's the Triad?" Maria asked apologetically. 

__

"She said Cole killed the Triad."

"I know."

Cole broke their thoughts. "The Triad were demons who navigated portals into our dimension. They work for the source of all evil, or the Source as we call it. They exist in a balance with the Powers That Be, who are on the side of good. I killed the Triad because they sent assassins to kill me when I left their brotherhood."

"Cole was a demon up until recently." Piper spoke, the traces of old suspicion echoing there.

"I was born half demon. My mother was human. I became the demon Balthazar when angered or provoked. For a thousand years, I worked in the Brotherhood of the Triad until they sent me to kill the Charmed Ones. I fell in love with Phoebe. She changed me." Cole wrapped his arms around Phoebe's waist and brought her closer. 

Michael was curious, "How did you stop being a demon? I mean, isn't that like saying you just stopped being human or something?"

Phoebe kissed Cole's palm. "I made a potion that would remove his powers. When they were gone, he was human."

"Man, to just become human." Michael looked to Maria.

__

"Do you ever resent it?"

"That I'm not human? No, not anymore. I have you, a family, love. I'm happy."

Paige, oblivious to their silent communication, looked between the couple in amazement. "So none of this really bugs you guys at all? You're really okay with this?"

Maria spoke for the both of them. "It's a shock that my family are witches, but I've recently learned that there are lots of things bigger than me, things that exist whether I know or believe in them or not."

"Our lives aren't that normal, either." Michael said ruefully. 

"Alright, then." Leo said, ending the discussion and placing his faith in the teens.

"Wait." Michael cried. "Is it a possibility that any demons have followed you here?"

"Yes, unfortunately. They're always after us."

"We'll be on our guard, then." Michael looked over at Leo. "Would you like to settle into your rooms now?"

"That would be nice, thanks."

__

"How would you like to do this?"

"Talk to Taja and ask her if she can stay with Liz for a few days."

"Piper and Leo, we'll put you in my old bedroom. Taja's been living there so it may be a bit messy." 

"Taja?" Piper asked.

"Michael's sister. She lives here now that she's moved from New York. Michael and I share the master and Taja took my room when I got the house."

"Michael lives here? Aren't you a little young to be living together?" Phoebe questioned, eyebrows raised.

"No." Maria was firm in her answer. "The circumstances are different for both of us. Please don't disapprove our decision. You'll only cause more tension than is necessary. It won't change anything." Maria continued. "Phoebe and Cole, I'll put you in the guest bedroom together. Paige, I can either put you on the extremely comfortable pullout bed from the couch, or we can switch it around so that you, Piper, and Phoebe share a room while Cole and Leo share the other. It's up to you."

"I'll just sleep on the couch."

"It's really not that bad, I promise you. Okay, go get settled in. I've got to run and tell Liz and Max we're not going to Mexico."

"I totally forgot about that!" Michael exclaimed.

"You were going to Mexico?" Paige asked. "God, we're sorry. We didn't mean to mess with your vacation."

"How about you all come back to San Francisco with us instead." Piper offered. "You can hang out at the club and the beach if you want. It'll be great. You haven't stayed with us in so long."

"I'll talk to the guys and see. There's a lot more of us now. We'll have to stay in a hotel room."

"We'll figure something out later." Leo said. "Go to your friends. We can settle in and meet you somewhere."

"Come to the Crashdown when you're done. All of us will be there." Michael got up and walked out of the house with Maria behind him. They got in the car and drove away.

* * * * *


	5. There is No Mexico

Michael unfolded himself from the driver's seat of Maria's new Suburban. He met her at the front of the car then walked into the Crashdown, through the boister of the crowd and plastic aliens, to the back kitchen door. Up the stairs and to the left, Liz's door was open. She and Max were curled up together on her bed, reading travel guides for Mexico. Taja lounged in a chair near the window, changing her hair and skin different colors. 

Maria tapped on the door lightly, then stepped in. "Hey babe, I've got some bad news."

Her best friend looked right up at her. "We're not going to Mexico."

"How…?"

Max stopped reading the guide. "We figured since your family was in town, you wouldn't want to go. Hence, we all stay." 

"You didn't have to stay," Maria smiled, "but thank you. My aunts offered to take us all back with them to San Francisco and hang out with them for a while. We can go on Monday." 

"That's really nice of them. I'll call Alex, I think Isabel is with him," Liz smirked.

Taja, who was currently blue-skinned with red hair and lips, spoke up. "I can call Kyle. I have the number for the shop." 

Michael scowled at her blatant display of her powers and couldn't restrain himself. "Don't do that. People could see you!"

"I'm not stupid, I've been hiding longer than you have! I know what I'm doing." She punched him playfully in the arm. "What's with you today?" 

"I'm just a little wound up," he said apologetically. "There are too many people at the house." He ran his fingers through his thick, chestnut hair. "Oh, and we kicked you out of your room. You'll need to stay with Liz until we leave."

Liz nodded in agreement and looked at Taja, who spoke again to Michael. "Can do. Just chill out, okay. Your aura is all splotchy and shooting out funky colors. It's driving me nuts."

"Sorry I yelled."

__

"Aww."

"Shut up."

"We can't tell them, Michael. There's too much stuff going on now."

"You have to tell them before we go to San Francisco."

"I will. I promise."

Liz turned to Max. "Taja's right. It's creepy when they do that. In a romantic sort of way."

"Are you okay with this?" Max asked her.

Yes. I just can't believe there's not going to be a Mexico. At least we hadn't paid yet." Liz shrugged.


	6. Dinner

The three Charmed sisters were sitting together in the room Piper had set up as her own. Perched on the bed, they sat in a circle, a circle that represented so much more than anyone realized. 

"It's so weird seeing her all grown up." Phoebe started. "Her and her boyfriend have been living together for two years now."

"How exactly is she related to you?" Paige asked. "I know she's your niece, but what's the story?"

"After our father left us, he married another woman and had Amy, our half sister. He then left their family, but that has more to do with him not being a good father than anything else." 

Phoebe recognized the bitterness in Piper's tone more than anyone else, remembering the days when any mention of their infamous father caused an argument. "Piper doesn't speak to our father much. In fact, we quite disagree on the subject of him."

"Anyway," Piper frowned at in Phoebe's direction, "Amy was born and raised in Roswell. When she was sixteen, she got pregnant and married Kevin DeLuca. That's where Maria came from. Then Kevin ran out on them, and Amy had to raise Maria alone. Amy died at the beginning of last year in a car accident."

Paige gasped. "Oh God, that's terrible. She had no one."

"We should take them out to dinner," Phoebe suggested, "Get to know them better."

"That's a good idea. I'd like to bring the sister, too." Piper added. "Taja, her name was?"

"Yeah, Taja. That's such a pretty name." 

"I'd like to know what's behind them. I think they have a really cool story." 

"Leo thinks something strange is going on here. Like the way Michael and Maria seem to know what the other is thinking and how close they are for a teen relationship." Piper generalized. "Then there was that secret they were hinting towards. Do you remember?" 

Phoebe perked up at the mystery. "Michael was talking with Cole, about being able to handle just about any kind of secret."

"Michael also mentioned about telling some guy, that they could protect themselves." Phoebe said. "Then they said their lives weren't normal, either."

"Something strange is definitely doing on here." Piper stated flatly.

"Whatever they've gotten in to, I hope they can handle it."

"Michael and Maria seemed calm enough."

* * * * * 

Liz walked past Michael and grabbed is shirt. "Michael, come with me to make us something to eat."

"José's working today," Michael whined. "Let him do it. I got the whole week off."

Liz stopped right in front of him and gave him a stony look. "We'll slow him down and we're not paying. Help me with food."

"He, he, he!" Alex snickered.

"Make lots of meat. I'm starving!" Max called as they walked to the kitchen.

"Hey, Maria." The group looked up at the voice speaking to Maria over their table. A tall, dark man stood there in a black pullover and black trousers. 

"Hey, Cole. What are you doing here?"

"Just getting a feel for the town. Who are your friends?"

Looking around the booth, Maria saw the faces of her family. "This is Alex, Isabel, and Kyle. Over there is Isabel's brother, Max, and Michael's sister, Taja. Liz is at the counter with Michael. Everyone, this is Cole Turner, my Aunt Phoebe's boyfriend." 

"Have you been to the UFO Museum, yet?" Max asked. "I work there part-time."

"Yeah, I just stopped by. It's got some interesting information."

Isabel looked up at the handsome man, "Do you believe in aliens, Mr. Turner?"

"Cole, please." He smiled. "I think humans are very arrogant in their belief that their existence is the only one in the universe. There is life out there, without a doubt." 

"That's a really unbiased opinion. Not many people look at it that way." Liz and Michael had returned from the kitchen, leaving José to finish the burgers. 

"So, Cole, what do you do in San Francisco?" Max asked. 

"I'm a district attorney." 

"Our father's a lawyer, too. Mostly business contracts, though. Not criminal law. Isabel beamed.

"Do you want anything to eat, Cole?" Liz asked, ever conscious of a customer. "Michael and I were in the process of raiding the kitchen."

"No thanks. I don't know what Piper and Phoebe are planning, but it's a real good idea to just go with the flow when dealing with the Halliwell sisters. I have to talk to them first."

"Cole, can I ask you a personal question?" Maria asked suddenly.

"Sure, as long as it's not too embarrassing." 

"If you know two people who both had secrets from each other," She started, "but one of the secrets was important to both of them, do you think its okay to share?"

__

"Maria, what are you doing?"

Max looked worriedly at Michael. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know what she's doing," Isabel cut in, "but I hope it's not what I think it might be."

"Maria," Cole answered, "I think it all really depends on the circumstances ad the history of everyone involved." He cocked his head to the side. "Why do you ask? Need help with something?"

__

"Maria! Stop this!"

"No, Michael. He's acting funny. I've got to find out how much he knows."

"We can have Isabel dreamwalk him then. You can't just reveal everything to him like this!"

"Michael, they told us their story."

"You haven't even told everyone his story yet. They won't understand!"

"Nope, just a question I've been asking everyone. A personal questionnaire of a sort." Maria recovered.

Just then, the bell on the Crashdown door chimed. "Hello again!" Phoebe called out.

"What's up!" 

Phoebe looked back to the voice. "Alex? You've gotten so tall!" 

"It's Auntie Phoebe, Liz!" 

"Liz, where are you?" Phoebe called.

"Yep! Hey Phoebe! Hey Piper!"

Piper gave Liz a huge hug. "God, you guys are all so big now! And Liz, the last time I saw you, you were drunk off your ass. It's good to see you."

"So how's it all going?" Alex asked.

"Just fine," Phoebe answered. "We were actually inviting Maria and Michael out to dinner with us. A family kind of thing."

"Michael," Piper finished for her sister. "Your sister is welcome, too."

"Thank you," Taja said.

Cole kissed Phoebe's neck. "I've been catching up with the local color, baby. Aren't you proud of me?"

"Yes, you've been really good today." She patted him on the head.

"Where's Leo?" Piper asked Cole.

"He, uh, got a call." Cole looked at Piper knowingly. "He said he'd get here as soon as possible." 

"Well, speak of the devil…" Phoebe spoke.

Leo sauntered in with a grin on his face. "I got us a table at the little Italian place in the next town over. Dress is casual, so we can leave now if you want to."

"That's fine. Liz, everybody, we'll talk later, 'kay?" Maria agreed.

"Yeah, call me."

"Do you know the way, Leo?" Maria asked.

"I got directions from the guy at the restaurant, but…"

"But they're probably wrong." Michael finished. "We know how to get there, so you don't have to worry. Come on Taja." They wave and leave the Crashdown.

* * * * *

They pulled in under the neon _Maggiano's_ sign and left the vehicle with the valet. Walking into the building, Leo walked up to the host. "Halliwell, party of eight."

"Right this way, sir." They were lead to a round table in a secluded corner of the restaurant.

"This is lovely, thank you." Piper dismissed him.

"My pleasure, ma'am." He said, backing away discreetly.

After getting their drinks and food, they settled into serious conversation.

"Taja, Michael mentioned that you came to live with him from New York." Piper started first.

"Yeah. I was adopted here in New Mexico when I was a baby, but then my parents moved to Colorado. They were killed in a fire when I was fourteen so I went to New York."

Leo was curious. "Michael, how did you find her? Did you even know that you had a sibling?"

"I always knew I had a sister. We're twins, so I guess it was a kind of bond that made me start looking for her."

"That must have been tough to find her in all those people with so little clues." Phoebe sympathized.

"Something just told me to look for her there, so I did, and I found her."

"I was adopted, too," Paige related, "but I didn't know that Piper and Phoebe were my sisters until Prue died."

"Prue was our older sister. She died about a year ago." Piper seemed closer to coming to terms with it each time it was spoken. 

"I'm sorry." Taja's eyes were warm and comforting.

"So," Cole tried to lighten the mood. "You all live in that house together, huh?"

"I inherited it when my mother died, but I needed a guardian because I was still underage. The Sheriff allowed Michael to stay with me since he was emancipated. When we found Taja, she moved in, too." 

"Do you all go together on payments?" Piper asked, not wanting Maria to be stuck with the responsibility of three people.

Michael caught on. "Well, most of it was already paid off so it's only like a hundred bucks a month. Between the three of us, that's no big deal."

"So you all have jobs, then?"

"Taja works with me as a waitress at the Crashdown and Michael's one of the cooks."

"For a while, I was also working security at this chemical facility, but that was only for some extra cash."

"Are any of you planning to further your education?"

"Well, Isabel is already in college, 'cause she graduated early, but the rest of us have to graduate first. I don't really know what happened after that."

"You'll probably have it all worked out in time. You're young and there's plenty of time left in your life." Paige offered.

"How long have you and Leo been married, Piper?"

"A little over a year, Taja."

"That's great."

"Cole and I are engaged." Phoebe bragged.

"Really?" Maria was surprised. "Congratulations."

"We haven't really set a date or gotten anything organized yet," Cole explained, "we've just made the commitment."

"I don't even have a boyfriend," Paige said, pretending to be glum.

"I'm sure we can find you a nice man, Paige."

"I don't want nice, Piper, I want thrilling."

"Be careful what you ask for," Phoebe glanced at Cole, remembering.

"I don't have a boyfriend, either." Taja consoled her.

"Well, we'll go looking together in San Francisco, how 'bout that?"

"Cool."

* * * * *


	7. Unleashed Beasts

Piper rubbed her full belly, "I really had fun tonight, Maria."

"Thank you for taking us. I'm glad we got to do the 'family thing.'"

"Maria," Michael rested a hand on Maria's forearm. "Is it cool if we stop at the Crashdown right quick? I've got to talk to Max about something."

__

"What?"

"Nothing important. He was just borrowing some art supplies and I'd rather get them back tonight."

"Sure. Is it okay with you guys?" She looked in the rearview mirror at her stuffed family.

"Yeah. We can wait."

"Thanks." Michael smiled and hopped out of the shining black Suburban that Maria had bought earlier that year with some trust fund money. 

It was about eight o'clock but the Crashdown seemed deserted. No one was there but Michael summed it up to Spring Break and everyone leaving on vacation. Noting that even José had left, he went into the back.

* * * * *

Phoebe held her bulging stomach and sighed heavily. "I'm gonna sit outside until he gets back. It's so hot in here."

"I'll sit with you," Piper offered. She opened her door and stepped down to the street. 

Piper, Leo, Phoebe, Cole, Paige, Taja, and Maria all sat down at the umbrella-covered tables outside the Crashdown, looking towards the gorgeous desert twilight.

"It's so beautiful here." Paige breathed, in awe of the variety of purples, reds, and oranges in the sunset.

"I used to hate it," Maria said, remembering a faraway conversation with Michael. "Now, I don't think I would be able to live anywhere else. The desert has just become too close to me."

Taja looked into the coming night and related completely. "I know how you feel. I thought Colorado was the most beautiful place on Earth until I came here. It just becomes a part of you."

All of a sudden, a man faded into view. He wore a complete suit of black, matching his black hair and eyes so black there was no white visible. "You witched thought you could escape us! Ha! Your mistake will be your death!"

"Oh please." Phoebe rolled her eyes and stood up in a fighting stance.

"What the hell is going on?" Taja asked, fear and confusion thinning her voice.

Maria nudged Taja in the direction of the door. "Taja, let's just go inside and get Michael and Max," she whispered.

"Nobody is going anywhere!" the man raged.

"Think again!" Piper froze the demon but he shook it off after a few seconds.

A sinister laugh rose from the man's throat. "I'm too strong for your feeble attempts." He pulled a long knife from the folds of his pants and stabbed Piper in the stomach.

"Leo!" Piper screamed as she fell to the ground, clutching her wound in agony. Blood spilled from between her fingers to the cold concrete below her. 

"Piper, no!" Leo rushed to his fallen wife, tears in his eyes. Kneeling beside her, he brushed her hair from her eyes.

Maria began to scream and Taja, dazed, scared, and frightened, released a bolt of energy at the demon, who instantly disintegrated.

Michael ran out of the building, followed by the rest of the group. They looked on in terror as Taja killed the stranger.

"What is going on?" Max yelled, looking around desperately.

"We need to get Piper inside." Phoebe explained as Leo lifted Piper into his arms as gently as possible. "She's been stabbed really badly and she's loosing a lot of blood."

"Follow me," Liz urged.

Leo carried Piper to the back room and laid her out on the couch. Max rushed to her side, but Leo shoved him back.

"I can help her," Max insisted.

"Not as well as I can." Leo placed his hand on Piper's stomach, directly over her wound. He rested his other hand on her cheek as she looked at his face with pain etched in her eyes. Blue light caressed his hand where he touched her body. It eased its way under her skin and healed her with a warm glow.

"I love you, Leo" she said when it was over.

Leo gathered her in his arms and brought her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. "I was so scared. I thought I might have lost you again."

* * * * *

Max, Isabel, Kyle, Alex, and Liz looked on in shock. What the hell was this guy doing with Max's power and why did Taja kill that man outside? When the moment passed, Max spoke. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'd like to know what's up with you guys. Taja, where did you get that power?" Cole walked up on Taja, backing her up on the wall. 

Max pushed Cole back with a shove. "No, you first! What are you all really doing here?"

Michael put a hand on Max's shoulder. "Calm down, Max."

"Calm down!?" Max whirled on Michael. "He has powers! He could be anybody! We don't know who's side they're on!"

"Max, shut up!" Maria moved to stand nose to nose with Max. "This is my family. They're on my side and it's a long story."

Paige looked up. "Was this the reason you wanted to tell Max earlier? Is Taja the secret you are keeping?"

Maria looked trapped. "Kinda. There's actually a lot more."

"Maria, stop!" Liz started to freak out. 

"Yeah. You can't just tell our lives!"

"Then I'll tell them." Michael looked to Isabel, then Max in turn. "It's okay guys, really. Just listen."

"Michael, if you're wrong…" Max trailed off.

"I'm not! Do you think I would endanger us like that, or Maria?" Michael pleaded.

"Okay, fine." Max grumbled.

"We're not going to hurt you." Leo reassured.

"Isabel, Max, Taja, and I are aliens." 

Phoebe broke the silence with a snort. "Aliens? Uh-huh!"

"Hey, you guys are witches! Why can't we be aliens?" Michael asked, indignantly. 

"Witches?" Liz repeated numbly, wringing her hands.

"That's the next story." Maria hugged her best friend close to her body.

"The Royal Four." Leo just barely whispered, but Michael heard.

"How did you…?"

Leo smiled, understanding the situation at last. "We've been in contact with your guardian."

"Kytanna?" Isabel revealed.

"Yes, hold on, I'll go get her." He disappeared with a shimmer of the same blue light then returned with the female they knew for so long as Tess.

"Hello, children." She smiled warmly. 

"Cam you please explain what is happening here, Kytanna?"

Piper turned Leo to face her, "Leo, you knew about all of this?"

"I had no idea that _they_ were the Royal Four." 

""What's this 'royal four' deal and who the hell are you?" Cole pointed at Kytanna rudely.

"I am their guide. When the children were first sent to Earth, Jaiden, their protector, and I went to the Powers That Be and asked for them to keep an eye on our charges until they were ready to know about their destiny."

"I had heard about the visitors, but I was never directly involved with any of it so I didn't know it was them." Leo looked at Piper apologetically. 

Kytanna continued. "These children are the blood heirs to the aligned kingdoms of Chevreuse and Rouchelle. Rath and Ava ruled the principal moon, Rouchelle, while Zan and Vilandra ruled Chevreuse, Rouchelle's mother planet. When their alliance was attacked by Shantiel, a lesser moon, the King and Queen sent their children to Earth 'til the time that they could be reborn and reunited in their next life. Their homes are at peace now and when they die a natural death, their souls will travel to their home planet and remanifest themselves, again."

"What about their powers?" Piper asked.

"When they were given human bodies, they were the human bodies of the future, more evolved and more in control of their brain. Because their souls are still alien, they each have an individual power. Each set of twins, Isabel and Max, and Michael and Taja, share powers. Michael was a general, the protector, second-in-command, so he emits high-powered bolts of energy. Taja can do this mildly, as you witnessed today. Taja was a scribe so she can project images from the mind onto a smooth surface. Michael gets mild visions, but he paints to express them." 

Phoebe cut in. "Hey, I get visions, too. Usually when I touch something."

"Yeah, that's how it works for me." Michael agreed. 

"Isabel can dreamwalk into other people's dreams, such as Max can be dreamwalked while conscious and functioning. Max is a healer, but Isabel can restore beauty. I am the spirit guide of the Royal Four and will lead their souls home at the end of their journey. Jaiden is the protector of the Royal Four. He has forfeit his life in order to watch them and keep their presence undetected." Kytanna finished.

"Is there any significance in the fact that there are two sets of twins?" Paige wondered.

"Everyone on their planets bear twins. It is the basis of the Bond."

"The bond? What's that?" Piper asked.

"When two Bien-aimé Bond, they bind their souls into one, making them complete forever. They are able to communicate telepathically with each other and will share a bond with their unborn children, when it occurs."

"What are Bien-aimé? Is that what they are?" Phoebe guessed.

"What?" Max had never heard this before.

"Bien-aimé aren't like humans at all. They are able to take on, or adopt, faces, but they have no fixed physical appearance of their own. They are shape-changers, becoming anything and everything. Bien-aimé are auras of their own souls. Taja can see auras because she was once a Scribe, a very powerful Scribe. As Bien-aimé adopt new faces at a whim, they are detectable by their individual auras."

"What about Leo?" Max challenged. "What the hell is he? Why can he heal, too, and how did he know something about us?"

"I am a Whitelighter, Max, similar to your spirit guide, only Whitelighters guard witches. Each Whitelighter is given a certain amount of witches to visit and direct as they learn form the Powers That Be. I am in charge of the Charmed Ones. The Charmed Ones are three sisters prophesized to be the strongest witches against evil. Piper, Phoebe, and Prudence Halliwell were these three sisters. Prue, the eldest, died a year ago to save Piper. She was replaced as a Charmed One by Paige, their half-sister on their mother's side." 

"The Charmed Ones are most powerful when they are together, for they only have a few natural powers each. Piper freezes time or makes things combust. Phoebe is given visions and levitation. Paige can orb objects to her or even herself when threatened. Prue was telekinetic and could astrally project her spirit to other places. Their spells, when spake times three, destroy all evil." Kytanna informed them. 

"Is that what that was?" Taja asked, thinking of the strange man she blew up just minutes earlier. "Something evil? It didn't have an aura at all."

"Evil had its soul." Leo said ominously. 


	8. Upon the Hour of Midnight

The piercing light of the stars shone through the midnight blue of the summer night's sky. Curtains reflected the outdoor scene framed the windows, bared open to drench the room with pale moonlight.

Opposite the window, the rustle of silk on flesh was heard. A man brushed his lips along the column of his lady's throat. A breathless sigh escaped from her lips as she arched her body towards his touch. Her hand reached to his brow and played teasingly with one of his golden locks. 

His mouth moved from the hollow of her throat to dip his tongue behind her ear, running it over the curve, and catching the lobe in his teeth. Nibbling delicately, her body shivered with delight. She moaned aloud and he drew the lobe into his mouth and enclosed it within his lips. 

Her response to his touch filled him with fresh desire. He moved down her body, touching his mouth to her breasts, flicking his tongue over her nipples, She skimmed her fingers up and down his spine, raking her nails over his shoulders and down to his buttocks.

Together they took in a breath and he began to whisper followed by her tender voice.

"How sweet the answer Echo makes to music at night…"

"When roused by lute or horn,"

"She wakes and far away o'er lawns and lakes goes answering light?"

"Yet love have echoes truer far and far more sweet…"

"Than e'er beneath the moonlight's star of horn or lute or soft guitar."

"The songs repeat."

"'Tis when the sign on youth sincere and only then-…"

""The sigh that breathed for one to hear…"

"Is by that one, that only dear…"

Breathed back again."

He teased her with his slight caresses, each time inching closer and closer to her very being. His stiffened flesh pulsed on her thigh and she swayed to force him nearer.

Trailing his tongue, he dipped into her navel, swift tender piercings of longing, loving. 

Pulling herself to his body, she coiled around him, easing his glorious frame to his back. Raising herself over him, she guided his hands to her breasts. Gently he kneaded them then passed on to rest on her hips. 

Bearing down, she put pressure on their union, joining his body with hers. Fire sang in her blood as her eyes shone with desire. The moonlight shimmered on her damp flesh as he watched her move.

Ever so slowly she rose and fell over him, possessed by an ancient rhythm, a rhythm that drummed over her body, pulsed in her ears, screamed through her blood. Rising, falling, over him, under him. He reversed their positions with an ease that fit his dancer body.

Grasping her hips with a bruising force, he hoisted her towards him, arching her back and hips. Violently he thrust into her, emotion spewing from his eyes. She cried out in ecstasy and caught his shoulders. Together they moved in a sensual dance, fulfilling each other so completely they fused. His fingers lit ice-blue warmth on her skin and her body jerked as she succumbed to the pleasure, the torture, the release.

His body, caught up in her feeling, exploded with her. Their pieces floated in the moonlight, sparkling like angel dust on the night sky. Softly they settled back into separate bodies, leaving tiny traces of themselves in their mate's entity.

They rolled as one and wrapped all of their limbs around the other, holding each other as close as possible. He licked the beaded sweat off her shoulders and kissed the hollow of her throat. She lifted her arm to trail over his brow then rest his head on her breasts. She guided her fingers up and down his neck, over his shoulder blades, and down his spine. 

His breath puffed against her skin, cooling her. He kissed her belly reverently. "I could have lost you both."

"You saved us."

"I can't be without you. You are my life."

"I love you."

With his head resting over their baby's heartbeat, he drifted into sleep. She caressed his hair then touched her hand to the spot where their child lay. Gently he whispered in his sleep.

"Piper."

* * * * *


End file.
